V. HOW TO EVALUATE A PROPERTY WITHIN ITS HISTORIC CONTEXT

To qualify for the National Register, a property must be significant;
that is, it must represent a significant part of the history, architecture,
archeology, engineering, or culture of an area, and it must have the
characteristics that make it a good representative of properties associated
with that aspect of the past. This section explains how to evaluate
a property within its historic context. (For a complete discussion
of historic contexts, see National Register Bulletin: Guidelines
for Completing National Register of Historic Places Registration Forms).

The significance of a historic property can be judged and explained
only when it is evaluated within its historic context. Historic contexts
are those patterns or trends in history by which a specific occurrence,
property, or site is understood and its meaning (and ultimately its
significance) within history or prehistory is made clear. Historians,
architectural historians, folklorists, archeologists, and anthropologists
use different words to describe this phenomena such as trend, pattern,
theme, or cultural affiliation, but ultimately the concept is the
same.

The concept of historic context is not a new one; it has been fundamental
to the study of history since the 18th century and, arguably, earlier
than that. Its core premise is that resources, properties, or happenings
in history do not occur in a vacuum but rather are part of larger
trends or patterns.

In order to decide whether a property is significant within its
historic context, the following five things must be determined:

The facet of prehistory or history of the local area, State, or
the nation that the property represents;

Whether that facet of prehistory or history is significant;

Whether it is a type of property that has relevance and importance
in illustrating the historic context;

How the property illustrates that history; and finally

Whether the property possesses the physical features necessary
to convey the aspect of prehistory or history with which it is associated.

These five steps are discussed in detail below. If the property
being evaluated does represent an important aspect of the area's history
or prehistory and possesses the requisite quality of integrity,
then it qualifies for the National Register.

Identify what the property represents: the theme(s), geographical
limits, and chronological period that provide a perspective from which
to evaluate the property's significance.

Historic contexts are historical patterns that can be identified
through consideration of the history of the property and the history
of the surrounding area. Historic contexts may have already been defined
in your area by the State historic preservation office, Federal agencies,
or local governments. In accordance with the National Register Criteria,
the historic context may relate to one of the following:

An event, a series of events or activities, or patterns of an
area's development (Criterion A);

Association with the life of an important person (Criterion B);

A building form, architectural style, engineering technique, or
artistic values, based on a stage of physical development, or the
use of a material or method of construction that shaped the historic
identity of an area (Criterion C); or

A research topic (Criterion D).

Determine how the theme of the context is significant in the
history of the local area, the State, or the nation.

A theme is a means of organizing properties into coherent patterns
based on elements such as environment, social/ethnic groups, transportation
networks, technology, or political developments that have influenced
the development of an area during one or more periods of prehistory
or history. A theme is considered significant if it can be demonstrated,
through scholarly research, to be important in American history. Many
significant themes can be found in the following list of Areas of
Significance used by the National Register.

Landscape Architecture
Law
Literature
Maritime History
Military
Performing Arts
Philosophy
Politics/Government
Religion
Science
Social History
Transportation
Other

Determine what the property type is and whether it is important
in illustrating the historic context.

A context may be represented by a variety of important property
types. For example, the context of "Civil War Military Activity
in Northern Virginia" might be represented by such properties
as: a group of mid-19th century fortification structures; an open
field where a battle occurred; a knoll from which a general directed
troop movements; a sunken transport ship; the residences or public
buildings that served as company headquarters; a railroad bridge that
served as a focal point for a battle; and earthworks exhibiting particular
construction techniques.

Because a historic context for a community can be based on a distinct
period of development, it might include numerous property types. For
example, the context "Era of Industrialization in Grand Bay,
Michigan, 1875 - 1900" could be represented by important property
types as diverse as sawmills, paper mill sites, salt refining plants,
flour mills, grain elevators, furniture factories, workers housing,
commercial buildings, social halls, schools, churches, and transportation
facilities.

A historic context can also be based on a single important type
of property. The context "Development of County Government in
Georgia, 1777-1861" might be represented solely by courthouses.
Similarly, "Bridge Construction in Pittsburgh, 1870-1920"
would probably only have one property type.

Determine how the property represents the context through specific
historic associations, architectural or engineering values, or information
potential (the Criteria for Evaluation).

For example, the context of county government expansion is represented
under Criterion A by historic districts or buildings that reflect
population growth, development patterns, the role of government in
that society, and political events in the history of the State, as
well as the impact of county government on the physical development
of county seats. Under Criterion C, the context is represented by
properties whose architectural treatments reflect their governmental
functions, both practically and symbolically. (See Part
VI: How to Identify the Type of Significance of a Property.)

Determine what physical features the property must possess in
order for it to reflect the significance of the historic context.

These physical features can be determined after identifying the
following:

Which types of properties are associated with the historic context,

The ways in which properties can represent the theme, and

The applicable aspects of integrity.

Properties that have the defined characteristics are eligible for
listing. (See Part VIII: How to Evaluate
the Integrity of a Property.)

Properties Significant within More than One
Historic Context
A specific property can be significant within one or more historic contexts,
and, if possible, all of these should be identified. For example, a
public building constructed in the 1830s that is related to the historic
context of Civil War campaigns in the area might also be related to
the theme of political developments in the community during the 1880s.
A property is only required, however, to be documented as significant
in one context.

Comparing Related Properties
Properties listed in the National Register must possess significance
when evaluated in the perspective of their historic context. Once the
historic context is established and the property type is determined,
it is not necessary to evaluate the property in question against other
properties if:

It is the sole example of a property type that is important in
illustrating the historic context or

It clearly possesses the defined characteristics required to be
strongly representative of the context.

If these two conditions do not apply, then the property will have
to be evaluated against other examples of the property type to determine
its eligibility. The geographic level (local, State, or national)
at which this evaluation is made is the same as the level of the historic
context.

Historic contexts are found at a variety of geographical levels or scales.
The geographic scale selected may relate to a pattern of historical
development, a political division, or a cultural area. Regardless of
the scale, the historic context establishes the framework from which
decisions about the significance of related properties can be made.

Local Historic Contexts

A local historic context represents an aspect of the history of
a town, city, county, cultural area, or region, or any portions thereof.
It is defined by the importance of the property, not necessarily the
physical location of the property. For instance, if a property is
of a type found throughout a State, or its boundaries extend over
two States, but its importance relates only to a particular county,
the property would be considered of local significance.

The level of context of archeological sites significant for their
information potential depends on the scope of the applicable research
design. For example, a Late Mississippian village site may yield information
in a research design concerning one settlement system on a regional
scale, while in another research design it may reveal information
of local importance concerning a single group's stone tool manufacturing
techniques or house forms. It is a question of how the available information
potential is likely to be used.

State Historic Contexts

Properties are evaluated in a State context when they represent
an aspect of the history of the State as a whole (or American Samoa,
the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana
Islands, Guam, Puerto Rico, or the Virgin Islands). These properties
do not necessarily have to belong to property types found throughout
the entire State: they can be located in only a portion of the State's
present political boundary. It is the property's historic context
that must be important statewide. For example, the "cotton belt"
extends through only a portion of Georgia, yet its historical development
in the antebellum period affected the entire State. These State historic
contexts may have associated properties that are statewide or locally
significant representations. A cotton gin in a small town might be
a locally significant representation of this context, while one of
the largest cotton producing plantations might be of State significance.

A property whose historic associations or information potential
appears to extend beyond a single local area might be significant
at the State level. A property can be significant to more than one
community or local area, however, without having achieved State significance.

A property that overlaps several State boundaries can possibly be
significant to the State or local history of each of the States. Such
a property is not necessarily of national significance, however, nor
is it necessarily significant to all of the States in which it is
located.

Prehistoric sites are not often considered to have "State"
significance, per se, largely because States are relatively recent
political entities and usually do not correspond closely to Native
American political territories or cultural areas. Numerous sites,
however, may be of significance to a large region that might geographically
encompass parts of one, or usually several, States. Prehistoric resources
that might be of State significance include regional sites that provide
a diagnostic assemblage of artifacts for a particular cultural group
or time period or that provide chronological control (specific dates
or relative order in time) for a series of cultural groups.

National Historic Contexts

Properties are evaluated in a national context when they represent
an aspect of the history of the United States and its territories
as a whole. These national historic contexts may have associated properties
that are locally or statewide significant representations, as well
as those of national significance.

Properties designated as nationally significant and listed in the
National Register are the prehistoric and historic units of the National
Park System and those properties that have been designated National
Historic Landmarks. The National Historic Landmark criteria are the
standards for nationally significant properties; they are found in
the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, Part 65 and are
summarized in this bulletin in Part IX:
Summary of National Historic Landmarks Criteria for Evaluation.

A property with national significance helps us understand the history
of the nation by illustrating the nationwide impact of events or persons
associated with the property, its architectural type or style, or
information potential. It must be of exceptional value in representing
or illustrating an important theme in the history of the nation.

Nationally significant properties do not necessarily have to belong
to a property type found throughout the entire country: they can be
located in only a portion of the present political boundaries. It
is their historic context that must be important nationwide. For example,
the American Civil War was fought in only a portion of the United
States, yet its impact was nationwide. The site of a small military
skirmish might be a locally significant representation of this national
context, while the capture of the State's largest city might be a
statewide significant representation of the national context.

When evaluating properties at the national level for designation
as a National Historic Landmark, please refer to the National Historic
Landmarks outline, History and Prehistory in the National Park System
and the National Historic Landmarks Program 1987. (For more information
about the National Historic Landmarks
program, please write to the Department of the Interior, National
Park Service, History Division, 1849 C St. NW, #2280, Washington,
DC 20240.)